The Provincial Health Department is being called to task by concerned parents who believe that they’re underreporting the meningitis crisis in Cape Town schools.

The schools affected are in the Grassy Park, Retreat and Steenberg area, with one case being confirmed from Muizenberg High.

If you’re unfamiliar with the infection, meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes (meninges) surrounding your brain and spinal cord. The swelling from meningitis typically triggers symptoms such as headache, fever and a stiff neck, and can be deadly if not treated.

It’s also highly contagious.

According to IOL, The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said in a report dated March 24, 2019, that there had been an increase in enteroviral meningitis cases in the Western and Eastern Cape since November last year.

“The NICD and the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) are conducting surveillance for enteroviral meningitis to better understand the reason for the increase in cases. Health-care workers are requested to identify cases and submit specimens to the NICD/NHLS for testing,” the report said. It said the cases were confirmed by Tygerberg and Groote Schuur hospitals.

The Institute said enteroviral meningitis was a mild form of meningitis caused by an enterovirus infection. Case numbers of enteroviral meningitis usually increase in warmer months.

NICD’s Dr Kerrigan McCarthy says that everyone is at risk of contracting meningitis, but those with compromised or underdeveloped immune systems (like children under the age of five) are at higher risk.

[Cape Education Department] WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said: “If learners are absent from school for valid health reasons, parents or caregivers may request from the school information and documents that can assist the learner in continuing with the curriculum while absent. Alternatively, teachers should prepare for catch up assistance for the learner upon their return”.

Health department spokesperson Maret Lesch said there has been no unusual increase in enteroviral meningitis cases in pupils, and has also encouraged parents, caregivers and children to practice good hand hygiene by washing their hands regularly with soap and clean water.

Despite the contradictions in information doing the rounds, it’s best to keep an eye out for possible infection.

The symptoms for meningitis include the following:

• Fever, cold hands and feet.
• Vomiting.
• Drowsy, difficult to wake.
• Confusion and irritability.
• Severe muscle pain.
• Pale, blotchy skin, spots or a rash
• Severe headache.
• Stiff neck.

If you suspect that you or your child might have contracted the infection, get to a doctor sooner rather than later.

[source:iol]